Winter Cuddles
by supermangageek23
Summary: Talking to girls is tough, talking to Katara is especially tough. Written for Zutara sceret santa


**Written for Wolfprincess123, as part of the zutara secret santa event.**

**Prompt :Zutara in a passionate kiss under the stars **  
**Rating : T**

**I hope you like it, and happy holidays. Oh and I meant to post before christmas or at least on christmas but I didn't get to and I'm majorly sorry about that. And lastly, formatting on ffn is a biatch.**

**I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.**

* * *

Zuko was sure of many things at the moment.

- One, he was pretty sure everyone one of the tribe hated him, excluding a certain pair of siblings.  
- Two, he was going to die from the cold if he didn't find warmth soon.  
- Third and finally, sea prunes were the grossest things ever.

Zuko questioned for the millionth time since he came to the frozen land of death, why exactly he decided to come. He would then look over to Katara and see her smiling face and go 'oh yeah' remembering.

After all the crap they had all went through, there was period of calm before the storm. The storm being all the political aftermath of dethroning and saving the world.

Between healing, burying and helping others, the group named 'Team Avatar' was exhausted and took retreat in the frozen abyss of the southern water tribe.

During all the craziness, he finally came to and understanding with his feelings, the only problem was trying to get them across.

He wasn't _exactly_ the most articulate around those of the female kind, and when it came to Katara it was especially clear, the few times he was able to talk to her without sounding like some bumbling fool were in the past and a few times when it was just the two of them up and staring at the stars. Maybe because, during those times, it was dark, and he didn't have to stare directly into her expressional face, with eyes that could pierce through him.

Okay, he was starting to get off track, getting away from the point tends to happen to him anytime he thinks of her.

He thinks of her a lot, he noticed. And when he wasn't thinking of her, he was thinking of what he could say to her, or when he could get to see her again.

He put his head in his hands, his was pathetic.

A future king shouldn't be so worried over a girl, a peasant girl. A peasant girl with stormy strong blue eyes and a determined personality, who sweeps away anyone she meets. Who isn't just a peasant, but a master bender, a sister, a mother and a daughter to people.

He sighed, back to block one, he mussed his hair and stared up at the sky.

Zuko fell back and totally didn't scream like a girl when suddenly Katara's upside down face was inches from his.

Katara laughed at the startled look he wore on his face, "I've been calling your name for a while now sparky."

Zuko still lay speechless, though a light blush appeared on his face. Katara sat next to him, and poked his side "Thinking deep thoughts man? Any you wanna share?" her voice was light but the concern showed.

He sat up dusting off the snow, sending some her way "I'm fine, just.. spaced out I guess."

Katara gave him a question look, running her fingers lightly through his hair, he grabbed her wrist. His eyes held a tint of sadness she wanted to take away. "Zuko?"

"Please?"

She slowly put her hand down, about to question him once more when he asked "Katara, what..what do you think of me?"

Katara blinked, that was certainly a loaded question. Did he mean as friends, as in his personality or as what he's like. She turned from him, she couldn't exactly think clearly with him staring at her like that. "Well, you're grumpy" she ignored his 'Hey!' and continued on, "You're also incredibly bull headed. Short tempered at times and-"

He huffed "Sorry I asked!" and looked away from her.

Katara continued on with a smile playing on her lips and her voice much softer now, "Despite your tough act and grumpy exterior, your a softie, a pushover and kind hearted."

Zuko lost the tension from his shoulders but couldn't look at her just yet, which was fine since Katara was now looking at her fingers "You're also a great tactionist, and a great comrade in a fight. You are protective and in the end, despite mistakes you make you always attempt to fix them. Your a good listener, and a good..friend"

Katara's head scrunched up, was friend the right word? They were friends but more, but they weren't dating, so what were they?

Voice ruff, Zuko asked ever so quietly "Am I only just a friend to you?"

Katara looked up a _"No!_" coming out before she realized it.

Zuko raised a hand, his hand cupping her face lightly, "Then what am I, what are we?" he probably wasn't going about this the right way but he didn't care at the moment, he just needed to know if she felt the same.

She felt like she was going to cry, she didn't know. She didn't want to lose him too, he wasn't a brother like Sokka and he wasn't just a friend like Aang, he was so, so much to her than that.

Her lip trembled, "I.. I don't know"

He cursed himself, he should of known better, "Look, I'm sorry, just forget I said anything." He removed his hand from her face, but she gripped it tight, keeping him from leaving her or shifting from her.

Her head was shaking and she couldn't look at him again. "Zuko... I- I love you."

His eyes widened from her confession, still shocked as she smiled through the tears, "I love you" she said again.

A breath passed and suddenly he was kissing her and she was kissing him back and there was warmth and light and joy. They broke away, a smile on his face and blush on hers,

"I'm going to assume you feel the same?" she said staring into his eyes.

He cupped her face, a smile he could not hide on his face, "I feel exactly the same." A light hearted laugh coming from him as he pecked her lips, she stared a minute before breaking out in giggles herself.

Soon the two teens on the edge of becoming young adults were kissing once more with the light of the stars shining on them.


End file.
